The Mermaids Madness

feels it, from the eldest merman to the newborn mermaid. We can’t all act on those feelings, but we all understand them.” Lannadae smiled. “You humans conceal so much, hiding your bodies and your mating habits as if they were precious secrets.”
    “Some of us do, anyway,” Talia said, glancing at Snow.
    Snow adjusted her shirt. “Is there any way to lure Lirea away?”
    “Ask them how long it’s been since the spawning began,” said Morveren, keeping her body low and out of sight.
    Snow did so, and the merman responded, “Lirea returned less than a day ago.”
    “She won’t leave,” said Lannadae. “Not for four more days at least.”
    “We can’t just anchor the Phillipa off the Hiladi coast while we wait for her to finish,” Talia said.
    “No.” Morveren looked up at Snow. “You will have to bring her to us. The tribe will be distracted.” She stretched out on the deck. “Such wonderful distractions. I miss those days.”
    “What about the tribe?” asked Lannadae. “If Lirea leaves in the middle of spawning—”
    “I don’t understand the urgency,” Snow said. “Undine are long-lived. Even if there were no births this year, it would hardly affect the size of the tribe.”
    “You speak as a human,” Morveren answered. “The undine can no more ignore the urge to breed than you could ignore the urge to breathe. To interrupt the tribe in midcycle will cause confusion, possibly even violence.”
    “Sounds like a good way to distract them from attacking our ships,” said Talia.
    “They’ll likely turn that violence outward, becoming even more aggressive.” Morveren reached over to stroke Lannadae’s hair. “Lirea’s scent will linger for another day, maybe longer. If we can save her in that time, she could return to control the tribe. This is our best chance.”
    Snow turned her attention back to the two undine in the water. “Forget what you found. Return to your tribe, and say nothing of us.”
    She could feel their resistance. They had grown more suspicious, and on some level, they knew they were being controlled. Their minds fought to throw off Snow’s commands. Snow clenched her fists and pushed harder, expanding her spell to capture the third undine still hidden beneath the ship. “Forget!”
    “Be careful,” Morveren said. “Too much power in such a spell can damage their minds.”
    “Letting them tell Lirea we’re here can damage us,” said Talia.
    Snow adjusted her spell, remembering the things Morveren had taught. Banishing a memory required a great deal of raw power, but walling that memory away for a day or two . . . She touched her choker, using the mirror’s magic to seal her spell.
    As one, the undine disappeared into the water. Snow staggered back, and only Talia’s quick reflexes stopped her from falling.
    “I don’t know how long my spell will last.” Snow sat down on the deck. “Go wake Danielle. Tell her we’re going for a late night swim.”

    Danielle yawned as she waited for Captain Hephyra to finish stringing a makeshift curtain of old sailcloth across the poop deck.
    “You and your modesty,” Hephyra said. “You’ve little to be ashamed of, you know.”
    “Thanks,” Danielle said dryly.
    “This is a hell of a spot for a swim.” Hephyra yanked the final knot tight, then tugged the curtain aside to allow Danielle to join the others. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather stay here while your friends go after the mermaid?”
    “Captain Hephyra, are you worried about me?” Hephyra shrugged. “You get yourself killed, your prince gets angry. If he blames me, well, let’s just say I don’t need that kind of hassle.”
    Danielle started to answer, but Talia was quicker.
    “Danielle has to come. She gets cranky when we try to leave her behind. She pouts for weeks.”
    “I do not!” Her heart wasn’t in the protest. Talia’s smile, fleeting though it might be, was worth a little teasing.
    “Lirea already tried to kill you once, Highness,” said Hephyra. “What’s to stop her from trying again?”
    “They are.” Danielle cocked a thumb at Talia and Snow.
    “Remember, undine aren’t like you,” Lannadae said. “We don’t seek privacy when we breed. The tribe might be distracted, but if you draw attention to yourselves, they’ll notice.”
    “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” Snow was already unbuttoning her shirt. Lannadae stared, obviously curious about human anatomy.
    Danielle checked the curtain, then made sure